The Tribulations of Tukaia
The Tribulations of Tukaia is an upcoming Short Story supplement to The Fractures Epic Series by BZPower and C.I.R.C.L.E. member Iro. Preview On the Isle of Tukaia, a Skrall warrior fled for his life. It was well past the end of sunfall, and the stout, blue-armored figure had to reach the camp before the full moon. Yes, the friends of Xul would mock him for his superstition, but the one persistent Skrall myth forced his legs to move faster than they ever had. A young one, he was. The captain-class would tend to mock his lanky stature, but he had proven that he could hold his own in a fight. Granted, he was extremely clumsy and usually had lady luck on his side, but he still had been granted a name by Lord Zaraus. Now, if I could get out of this jungle, all would be well, he thought to himself. The trees around Xul seemed to close in, their branches attempting to grab at him while nonexistent faces mocked his fear. However, it was not the trees that worried the warrior; it was the being that was said to dwell within the heart of Tukaia’s jungle - the cruel, mad, bloodthirsty being that would scare even Tribonus. No... he told himself, that’s... that’s just a myth. No one’s seen him.... Yet, why does the thought of him send chills through my spine? Xul suddenly tripped over a log that was in his way, letting a shout of surprise as he slammed into a tree. A flock of birds flew out of the tree in fear. The Skrall let out a string of curses, looking around in a frightened manner. He glanced back at the log. What he saw made his heart skip a beat. It was the cold, twisted, and very dead body of a Skrall captain. Its' armor was gone, and its' pale white skin felt like leather. The face of the deceased was contorted between some silent howl of agony and an expression of terror, stark terror. Perhaps most shockingly, the wrists of the Skrall had been slashed, but there was no trace of blood anywhere near the body. It’s him.... He ''does exist! After a moment, a somewhat positive realization came to Xul. ''Well, at least this one has been dead for a while. He probably moved on from this area long ago. A wave of sheer pain came over Xul, sending him staggering backward. The Skrall slammed into a rather large tree, and then crashed onto the ground. His sword exited its' sheath, landing less than a bio from his body. As he reached for the weapon, a clawed foot grounded its' heel onto Xul’s hand, shattering his carpals. He looked up, expecting the worst. However, when his sight cleared, there was nothing there. He shut his eyes and tried to bring himself to his feet, still in unbearable pain. His eyes would not open. As he made it to his knees, the claw of the beast slashed his throat, causing blood to splatter on the ground below him. The beast smiled, its' full form emerging from the jungle’s darkness. Was it truly a beast, or was it once a normal person, one that had regressed into this state? Some analyst may ask this question, but perhaps it was neither. Perhaps it was simply a being with no compassion nor morals nor a care in the world. Whatever the case was, it brandished a small vial and poured Xul’s blood into the small container until it was full. When its' task was done, it simply faded away into the darkness once more... Characters *Xul *Zaraus (Mentioned Only) *Tribonus (Mentioned Only) *Antaa (Not Mentioned By Name) External Links Category:Murtua Category:Short Stories Category:Iro